Every year, improperly made tires cause injuries and deaths for drivers and passengers across the country. Tire manufacturers may recall a certain segment of a tire line, but that does not always happen fast enough to stop serious accidents from happening. Ramsey Law Group has helped clients injured because of defective tires successfully take on the world’s largest tire companies and hold them accountable for the victims’ injuries.
The most common type of tire defect is tread separation. This happens when the tread and the body of the tire become separate, which usually happens at high speeds, but on some poorly made tires, it can happen at speeds much lower. The type of tires most often made, steel-belted radial tires, are the kind of tires where tread separation happens most often. It is usually the result of a defect in the manufacturing process but can be the result of a poor design as well.
Tire blowouts, where the tire suddenly loses pressure, are less common but are also often the result of a defect coming about during the tire’s creation process. If either tire separation or a tire blowout occurs, the driver may lose control of the car and get into a defective tire accident. We encourage our clients to check their tire pressure and look for signs of damage to each tire, like uneven or excessively worn tread, cracking in the sidewalls, or any odd bulges in the tire. Noticing the car is starting to handle oddly or vibrate more than usual may also be signs something is wrong with the tires. If any of these occur, you should have your tires inspected by a professional and check to see if there is a recall on the tires.
However, even with proper care and vigilance, a tire defect may still be present and could show itself years after you have purchased the tires. If a defective tire caused an accident, Ramsey Law Group can examine the situation, determine if there is a case, and work to hold the tire company accountable. These companies have the resources and incentive to fight these types of cases, but Ramsey Law Group has the knowledge and stamina to fight for our clients through the entire process.
When there are problems with a vehicle tire, a tire recall is often initiated. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) provides automotive manufacturers with vehicle safety standards, requiring them to recall component parts (like tires) with safety-related defects. A tire recall is issued when NHTSA and/or a tire manufacturer determine that a tire creates an unreasonable safety risk and/or fails to meet minimum safety standards. Manufacturers are required to fix the subject tires by repairing, replacing, offering a refund, or in rare cases repurchasing them.
The duration of a tire’s lifespan depends upon a variety of factors, including tire quality, driving conditions, and the frequency of use; however, experts generally agree that should tires last at least 50,000 miles in normal driving conditions, or around three to four years of driving. Other factors that can impact how long tires last include whether or not the vehicle driver undertakes regular maintenance, keeping the tires properly inflated, and the vehicle properly aligned. One way to check for tire wear is to monitor the tire tread, checking for wear indication. All manufacturers recommend professional inspections annually and tire removal at 10 years of age, regardless of condition.
It’s important to know what causes tire blowouts in order to understand how to prevent them and/or how to deal with them should they occur.
The most common causes of tire blowouts include: